Thinn is one of the names that was brought to England in the wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Thinn family lived in Shropshire. The name, however, is a strange contraction of the phrase of the Inn, resulting from the fact that an early member of the family was the proprietor of such an establishment. "The name is derived from the mansion or inn at Stretton, in the county of Salop, (Shropshire) to which the freehold lands of the family, with various detached copyholds, were attached. " [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.

Early Origins of the Thinn family

The surname Thinn was first found in Shropshire where they were Lords of the Manor of Church Stretton. Traditionally, the name was originally Botfield or Botville, and Geoffrey and Oliver Bouteville came into England from a distinguished family in Pictou in France about 1180. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.[2]CITATION[CLOSE]Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print. Fancifully, the name Thynne was supposedly derived from John Boteville who was a counselor at Lincoln's Inn and became known as "John of th'Inn." [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print. More likely, the Botvilles intermarried with the Thynne of Norton, in Northampton who held a family seat there from ancient times. Nevertheless, the two names became interchangeable, bearing the same history.

Early History of the Thinn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Thinn research.Another 187 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1547, 1578, 1639, 1601, 1629, 1605, 1670, 1640, 1670, 1610, 1669, 1660, 1640, 1714, 1544 and 1608 are included under the topic Early Thinn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Thinn Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Thinn family name include Botfield, Botville, Boteville, Botfeld, Botevile, Thynne, Tyne, Tine, Tynes, O'Tyne, Thinn, O'Thinn, Thin, Then, Them and many more.

Early Notables of the Thinn family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir John Thynne of Longleat, a knight of the shire; Sir Thomas Thynne (ca. 1578-1639), of Longleat, Wiltshire, an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1601 and 1629; Sir James Thynne (1605-1670), an English landowner and politician... Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Thinn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Thinn family to Ireland

Some of the Thinn family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 107 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Thinn family to the New World and Oceana

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Thinn family to immigrate North America:

Thinn Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Walter Thinn, who landed in Maryland in 1670 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

The Thinn Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Citations

^ Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.

^ Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.

^ Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)